Inspection time

Before closing the skins on my left wing, I got the visit of EAA technical counselor Terry Gardner from EAA chapter 1114.

The inspection was positive: nothing to rework, workmanship all OK which is gratifying for a first time builder. Terry who is building an RV9 was impressed by the ease and speed of building allowed by the pulled rivets which are the fasteners of choice for the skins of the RV-12. The visit reports are filed with EAA and can be used as reference when an amateur built plane is sold. Being an EAA member has its privileges!

Featuring Bernard Paul, French pilot and flight club manager

Bernard is a former collègue from Alcatel and a good friend. He is managing the Flight Club in Lannion, France and on the picture below he just took delivery of a brand new plane called APM 30 Lion from Issoire Aviation, a French GA plane builder. This is a VLA (very light airplane) the European equivalent to the US LSA standard (albeit with a max take-off weight of 1654 pounds, allowing the Lion to be a 3 seater).

In July 2007 Bernard took me and my family on a flight over the picturesque Cotes d'Armor in Brittany. This event definitely influenced my decision to go into flying in my retirement years. The plane we used, in the background, is a 4 seater Robin DR-400, also a French made airplane.

White Christmas, kind of...

This is how my workshop looks the day after Christmas:

With temperatures in the lower twenties, work on the wings is almost frozen in its tracks

Is it rational to work in these conditions?

No, it is not, this is why I have an irrational clock in my workshop, a Christmas gift from my dear wife Michèle (may be a subtle message too?):

It gives the irrational time spent on irrational activities.
Note that the numbers are at the right place on the dial. For example log 9876 = 3.995 which translates: 3 hours 59 minutes and 42 seconds.
For more on irrational numbers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irrational_number

Visit of Denny Smith's RV-12 in Carthage, NC

Kent Misegade, our EAA 1114 chapter president, kindly introduced me to the owner of the first flying RV-12 in the Raleigh region. Denny Smith and partner George Neal built Kit # 120352 in about 9 months, probably a record. They had their first flight December 10 at their field, Gilliam Mc Connell in Carthage, NC. They reported both being thrilled how well the airplane performs and handles. Kent and I had an interesting and rather thorough discussion with Denny, our host about the challenges (there are few) and satisfactions (there are many and more to come) brought by this project. I liked the finish of the interior with carpet, side panels and arm rests that look very professionally made. Denny gave me a couple of useful hints about working on the fuselage: delay riveting the back window to allow access in the baggage compartment which also holds the (should I say infamous?) gas tank. He actually had no problem building the tank but deems the sight glass window (the source of most leaks) not that usable. He also delayed riveting the tailcone to the fuselage until he had to adjust the connections to the empennage, allowing better access to the rear of the fuselage until all work on the fuselage was completed. Here are a few pictures taken by Kent:

 N33SN fresh from its maiden flight:

 Denny Smith, happy builder:

JP, envious builder:

Trying to make airplane noise :

A neat interior:

Denny and Kent trying to stay warm:

First Flight for Hervé Savary's RV7A

Hervé Savary is a French Pilot/Builder on a temporary assignment in Greenville, SC. Hervé was building an RV7A in his workshop in Compiègne, France when this assignment came-up. The rest of the story is documented on his builder's site:
http://www.projet-construction-rv7a.fr/default.htm

I got the opportunity to know Hervé through George Orndorff from GeoBeck to whom Hervé wisely contracted the finishing of his plane while he was on assignment. I found about that while I was taking a Sheet Metal course at George's workshop in Gold Hill, NC. last May.

Hervé kindly documented the event through  the following videos:

Le départ / Departure

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4SekxBvidA

Le décollage des deux avions / Take off of both planes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxOo8yptI2A

L'atterrissage du chase plane, je suis a bord . Landing of chase plane, I am onboard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDJMRlvB_Jk

Passage basse hauteur de N36HS / Low pass N36HS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruQQ2Y_so2k

De retour au sol après 40 minutes de vol / Back on the floor after 40 minutes flight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMpEZXmWuxk